Hammock or like support.



I. E. PALMER.

HAMMOGK OR LIKE SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. s, 1913.

Patented Mar. 31, 1914.

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HAMMOGK 0R LIKE SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. a, 1913.

Patented Mar. 31, 1914;

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ISAAC E. PALMER, OF MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE I. E. PALMER 00., OF MIDDLETOWN', CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

HAMIVIOCK OR LIKE SUPPORT.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Isaac E. PALMER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Middleto-wn, in the county of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement in Hammock or like Supports, of which the following description, in con nection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to hammock or like supports.

In order that the principle of the invention may be readily understood, I have disclosed a single embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of a hammock support embodying my invention, parts being broken away; .Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. is a detail in side elevation of the hinged upper ends of the legs and showing a portion of the backbone or ridge pole; Fig. 5 is a view in end elevation of the structure shown in Fig. i, the support being open; Fig. 6 is a vertical section upon the line 6-43 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 5, the support being closed; Fig. 8 is a view in side elevation of one form of backbone or ridge pole embodying my invention; and Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are respectively cross sectional views upon the lines 9-4), 10l0 and 11-11 of Fig. 8.

An important object of my invention is to provide a hammock support, preferably wholly metallic, which is of great strength and the parts whereof are united with rigidity and firmness.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the following description.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I have therein indicated two uprights at 1 and 2, and each of which is preferably composed of two legs 3, a hinged together at their upper ends. I have herein represented the leg 3 as having secured thereto by screws 5, a plate or member 6 constituting a portion of a hinge and terminating at its up- Speeification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 8, 1913.

Patented Mar. 3 1914.

Serial No. 783,688.

per end in socket portions 6, 6, and the leg 1 as having secured thereto by screws 7 a plate or member 8 constituting the other member of the hinge and terminating in a socket member or portion 8, said hinge members receiving and being connected by a bolt 9 constituting the pivotal member of the hinge. Each of the legs 3, 1 is metallic and each is composed of a transverse web indicated in section at 10 in Fig. 4, and from which extends, preferably normally, a web 11, so that each leg is in section of a T form.

Viewing Fig. 5, it will be observed that when the legs 3, 1 are separated, there is between them below the socket members (3, S a triangular space. Into this space I fit one end of the backbone or ridge pole 12 and which is provided with web members contacting respectively with the inner faces of the plates 6, 7, (or if desired with the inner faces of the legs 3, a) and the said socket members 6, 8. To this end, I have provided the said backbone 12 with two trans verse webs 13, 14: constituting continuations of each other in a horizontal plane as represented in Figs. 2 and 5, and which tightly engage the inner faces of the said plates 6 and 8, and with a third or upright web 15, herein represented as normal to the webs 13 and 1 1- and which tightly engages the under side of the socket members 6', 8.

In order to prevent the legs 3, 4 from opening too wide, and also to support the ridge pole 12 in the described position, I have herein provided for each pair of legs two slightly bent or curved bolts 16, 17, each provided with a head 18 at one end and a nut 19 on the opposite screw threaded end 20. These bolts pass through perforations in the plates 6, 8 at the sides of the legs 3, I, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 5, and when the legs are suflicicntly separated the end of the backbone or ridge pole 12 is inserted in position as described with the lower outer edges 21. 22 of the webs 13. let resting against the said bolts 16, 17. Thus the backbone and the two pairs of legs constitute a single rigid structure.

I provide suitable means from which to suspend the hammock and for that purpose have herein represented a hooked member 23 having bent ends 24, 25 passing about the bolts 16, 17.

I Preferably I provide means cotiperating with the bolts 16, 17 to prevent the legs 3, 4 from separating too far. F or that purpose, 1 have represented the web 10 of each leg as inturned at its lower end 26 and secured by bolts 27 to the feet 28, as indicated in l 'igs. 2 and 3, and which have inner up turned ends 29 provided with eyes or holes to receive the hooked ends 30, 31 of two wires or rods 32, 33, the inner ends thereof being respectively provided with a hook 34 and an eye 35, that, when engaged, limit the separation of the legs 3, 4. In order to provide means coiiperating with the wires 32, 33, for varying the extent of separation of the legs 3, 4, I have herein represented a third wire 36 having at one end an eye 37 adapted to slide upon the wire 33 and having at its opposite end a hook 38 adapted to be inserted in an eye 39 formed in the wire 32 intermediate its ends. The parts are preferably so proportioned that in inserting the hook 34 in the eye 35, the legs 3, 4 are strained toward each other, so that when the parts are connected in the mannershown in Fig. 2, the whole structure is tense and rigid. If, however, it be desired to permit further separation of the legs 3, 4 the hook 34 is disengaged from the eye 35 and the resilience of the legs 3, 4 will tend further to separate them, whereupon the eye 35 will slide along the wire 33 until it contacts with the outer face of the eye 35, thus preventing further separation of the legs.

it will be observed that by means .of the nuts upon the bolts 16, 17 and by means of the wires 32, 33, the legs 3, 4 or the plates 6, 8 thereof may be made to bite or take very firmly against the outer edges of the webs 13, 14, so that the backbone or ridge pole 12 is held in position with the utmost firmness.

If desired, the backbone or ridge pole may be formed in a single piece, but preferably 1 provide means for varying the length thereof so as to accommodate the support to different lengths of hammocks. lVhile this object may be secured in various ways, I have in Figs. 8 to 11 inclusive rep resented the telescoping ridge pole composed of a member 40 having webs 41,42 and 43 preferably such as described, and a second member 44 herein represented as composed of two plates 45, 46 inclined toward each other as represented and secured at one end by bolts 47 to a triangular block 48. In this form of my invention the outer end of the member 40 is inserted between the upper ends of one pair of legs 3, 4 and the outer end of the other member 44 is inserted between the upper ends of the other pairs of legs. The inclination of the plates 45, 46 is preferably such that at their upper edges, they rest against the web 41 and at their lower edges against the upper faces of the webs 42, near the outer edges thereof, so as to slide thereon.

in order to hold the plates 45, 46 in position and also to determine the relative position of the members 40, 44, I preferably provide in addition to the block 48 a series of metallic straps herein represented at 49, 50. The strap 49 represented in side elevation in Fig. 9 is bent into triangular shape between its ends to surround the members 40, 44 and is connected by screws 51, 51 to the under side of the webs 42, 43, the end portions of the said strap being spaced apart and terminating in downwardly extending parallel members 52, 53, between which 1 pivot upon a bolt 54 a clamping device 55 having an eccentric head 56 adapted to bite against the under faces of the webs 42, 43, so as to hold the two members 40, 44 in fixed position at any suitable adjustment. The strap 50 is of the same general shape as the strap 49 and is secured by bolts 57 to the plates 45, 46, the ends of said strap being bent to extend beneath the webs 42, 43 and terminating in downwardly extending parallel spaced members 58, 59 between which is pivoted upon a bolt 60 a clamping device 61 having an eccentric head 62 cooperating with the clamping device 55. By turning the clamping members 55, 61 into inactive positions, the members 40, 44 may be adjusted or drawn out to the desired extent, after which the said clamping members are swung upon their pivots to bind the members firmly together by forcing the web 41 between the inner upper edges of the plates 45, 46, thus straining the latter against the straps 49, 50.

The shape of the legs, provided as they are with the transversely extending webs, is such as to permit them to be strained toward each other so as to press tightly against the edges of the ridge pole without danger of bending the legs.

Preferably the entire structure is metallic. So far as certain features and objects of the invention are concerned, the support or parts thereof may be non-metallic. The support is formed of comparatively few parts and while relatively light is of great strength, and the parts thereof are held together with great rigidity.

Having thus described one illustrative embodiment of my invention, I desire it to be understood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.

Claims:

1. A couch hammock support having two pairs of legs hinged together at their upper ends, and a backbone or ridge pole, the lat ter having webs receivable between the upper end portions of said legs below the hinges, and co-acting means to hold said legs in posit-ion against said backbone.

2. A couch hammock support having two pairs of legs hinged together at their upper ends and a backbone or ridge pole, the latter having webs extending in substantially inverted T form and receivable between the upper end portions of said legs below said hinges, and co-acting means to hold said legs in position against said backbone.

3. A couch hammock support having two pairs of legs hinged together at their upper ends and a backbone or ridge pole, the latter having webs extending in substantially inverted T form and receivable between the upper end portions of said legs below said hinges, and co-acting means to bind said legs against the edges of said webs.

t. A couch hammock support having two pairs of hinged legs and a backbone or ridge pole, the latter having webs extending in substantially inverted T form and receivable between the upper ends of said legs, and bolts co-acting with said legs to hold the legs and ridge pole rigidly together.

A couch liammoc 1 support having two pairs of hinged legs, and a backbone or ridge pole, the latter having webs extending in substantially inverted T "form and receivable between the upper ends of said legs, and bolts loosely extending through said legs below and engaging said ridge pole.

6. A couch hammock support having two pairs of legs hinged together at their upper ends, and a backbone or ridge pole receivable between the upper end portions of said legs below said hinges, said legs each being substantially of an inverted T shape in cross section, and means to bind said legs directly against the ends of said ridge pole.

T. A couch hammock support having two pairs of legs hinged together at their upper ends, and a backbone or ridge pole receivable between the upper end portions of said legs below the hinges thereof, each of said members being of an inverted T form in cross section, and means firmly to bind said legs, without bending, directly against the webs of said ridge pole.

8. A couch hammock support having two pairs of hinged legs, and a backbone or ridge pole and means adjacent the lower ends of said legs to hold the latter in posi tion and consisting of two members 32, 33 having uniting means at their inner ends and secured to the legs at their outer ends, and a third member 36 slidable upon one of said two members and having a tormation to engage the other of said two members.

9. A couch hammock support having two pairs of hinged legs, and a backbone or ridge pole, and means adjacent the lower ends of said legs to hold the latter in position and consisting of two members 32, 33 having uniting means at their inner ends and secured to the legs at their outer ends, the member 32 having an eye 39, and a third member 36 having an eye 37 slidable upon the member 33 and having a hook 38 to engage the eye 39.

10. A ridge pole for a hammock support consisting of two telescoping members, one of which consists of three webs extending outwardly ninety degrees apart, and the other of which consists of two inclined plates slidable upon and between the webs of the first members, together wit-h means to hold said members in adjusted position.

11. A ridge pole for a hammock support consisting of two telescoping members, one of which consists of three webs and is of an inverted T form in cross section and the other of which consists of two inclined plates slidable upon and between the webs of the other member, together with means to hold said members in adjusted position.

12. A ridge pole for a hammock support consisting of two telescoping members, one of which consists of three webs and is of an inverted T form in cross section and the other of which consists of two inclined plates slidable upon and between the webs of the other member, and means to bind said members against each other in adjusted position.

13. A ridge pole for a hammock support consisting of two telescoping members, one of which consists of three webs and is of an inverted T form in cross section and the other of which consists of'two inclined plates slidable upon and between the webs of the other member, straps passing transversely about said members and to each of which one of said straps is secured, and binding means supported by said straps.

1 1. A hammock support consisting of a backbone or ridge pole and two pairs of hinged legs, each of said legs having secured to its upper end a plate provided with a bolt receiving socket, and cross bolts penet-rating said legs below but adjacent to said sockets, the ends of said ridge pole being Igeceivable between said legs above the cross olts.

' other 15. A ridge pole for a hammock support consisting of two telescoping members, one of which consists of three webs and is of an inverted T form in cross section and the of which consists of two inclined plates slidable upon and between the webs of the other member, together with means to hold said members in adjusted position, in combination with two pairs of hinged two subscribing witnesses.

ISAAC E. PALMER.

WVitnesses:

GEO. C. HAINs, CHAS. M. SAUER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatentl,

Washington, I). C. 

